The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-05-20
JESS.
AyH.RlDER HAceARp.
yla&.r's'lQes selemeIssue SkIrs
CHAPTER XII.
ON THE BRINK.

John found that tho life Of South Afri
can farmer came well up to his expectations
He had ample occupation; indeed, what 10
tween ostriches, horses, cattle, sheep anc
crops, he was rather over than under occu
pied. Nor was he greatly troubled by TIT
lack Of civilized society, for he was q mar
who read great deal, and books could be or
dered from Durham and Cape Town, while
the weekly mail brought up an ample supply
Of papers. On Sundays he always read ths
political articles In Tho Saturday Review
aloud to old Silas Croft, who us no got older
found that the print tried his eyes, and TIN
was an attention that the old gentleman
greatly appreciated. He was well informed
man, and had, Notwithstanding his long lie
spent In a half civilized country, never ios'
his hold OF affairs or his interest in the WIDE
and rushing life Of the world In ono OF whose
side eddies he lived apart. This task OF reading
The Saturday Review aloud had formerly
been q part Of Bessie's Sunday service, but
her uncle was very glad to effect an ex'
change, Bessie's mind was not quite in tune
with the profundities of that journal, and her
attention was apt to wander at the most
pointed passages. And thus 1t came about,
what between The Saturday Review and
other things. that q very warm and deep at
tachment sprang up betwixt the old man ana
his younger partner. John was very TAX
ing man, especially to the old, for whom he
was never tired Of performing little services
One of bis favorite sayings was that Old peo-
pie should be "let down easy" and ne acted
up to it. Moreover, there was quiet 1oility
and bluff honesty about Kim which was un-
doubtedly attractive both to men and women
But his great recommendation was that ne
was well informed, experienced man and
gentleman in a country in which both were
rare. Every week the old man got to rely
more and more on him, and let things pass
more and more into his hands.
"rm getting old, Mel" he said to him one
night; "I'm getting very old; the grass
hopper is becoming burden to me, and III
tell you what it is, my boy" laying his hand
affectionately upon Johns shoulder, II have
no son of my own. and you will have to be .
son to me, as my dear Bessie has been
daughter"
John looked up into the kindly, handsome
old face. crowned with the fringe Of snowy
hair, and at the two keen eyes set deep in 1t
beneath the overhanging eyebrows, and
thought Of his old father who was long since
dead; and somehow he was moved and his
own eyes filed with tears.
CAV, Mr.. Croft" he said, taking the old
mans hand, "that will to the best Of my
ability"
thank you, my boy, thank you. don't
like talking much about these things, but as
said, am getting old, and the Almighty may
require my account any day, and if he does
rely on you to look after these two girls It
is a wild country this, and one never knows
what may happen in it from day to day, and
they will want it. Sometimes I wish l were
clear of the place. And now I'm going to
bed am beginning to feel as though had
done my days work in the world. Pm get
ting feeble, John, that is the fact of it."
After that he always called him John,
OF Jess they heard but little She wrote
every week, it is true, and gave an accurate
account of all that was going on at Pretoria
and of her daily doings, but she was one of
those people whose letters tell one absolutely
nothing of themselves and of what is passing
in their minds. They might as well have
been headed "Our Pretoria Letter." as Bessie
said, disgustedly, after reading three sheets
in Jess curious, upright handwriting "Once
you lose sight of JESS" she went on, "she
might as well be dead for all you learn about
her. Not that one learns very much when
she is with one, she added, rehectively.
"She is peculiar woman" said John,
thoughtfully. At first he had missed her
very much, for, peculiar as she undoubtedly
was, she had touched new string in him
somewhere, of the existence of which he had
not till then been himself aware. And what
is more, it had answered pretty strongly for
some time; but now it was slowly vibrating
itself into silence again, much as a harp does
when the striker takes his fingers from the
strings Had she stayed on another week or
SO the effect might have been more enduring
But although Jess had gone away Bessie
had not. On the contrary, she was always
about him, surrounding him with that tender
care woman, however involuntarily, can
not prevent her from lavishing on the man
she loves. Her beauty moved about the
place like beam of light about garden, for
she was indeed lovely woman and as pure
and good as she was lovely. Nor could John
long remain in ignorance of her Partially for
him. He was not a vain man-very much
the reverse, indeed-but neither was he q
fool And it must be said that, though
Bessie never overstepped the bounds of maid
emily reserve, neither did she take particular
pains to hide her preference. Indeed it was
too strong to permit Of her doing SO. Not
that she was animated by the half divine.
soul soaring breath of passion, such as ami
mated her sister-which is very rare thing,
and, take it altogether, as undesirable and
unsuitable to the ordinary conditions of this
prosaic and work day life as it is rare-but
she was tenderly and truly in love after the
ordinary young womanly fashion; indeed,
her passion, measured by the every day stand
ard, would have proved to be a deep one.
However this was, she was undoubtedly pre-
pared to make John Mel a faithful and a
loving wife if he chose to ask her to be-
come so.
And as the weeks went on-though. of
course, he knew nothing of all this-it be.
came very serious question to John whether
he should not ask her. 1t is not good for man
to live alone. especially in the Transvaal. and
it was not possible for him to pass day by day
at the side Of SO much beauty and SO much
grace without thinking that it would be well
to draw the bond of union closer. Indeed,
had John been younger man or had less ex-
perience he would have succumbed to the
temptation much sooner than he did. But he
was neither very young nor very inexperi.
enced. len years or more ago, in his green
and gushing youth, he had, as has been said,
burned his fingers pretty sharply, and lively
recollection of this incident in bis career had
pr ed very efficient warning to